COLEOPTERA > POLYPHAGA > COCCINELLOIDEA > Endomychidae

A moderately large family worldwide, but represented in Britain by just eight species.

After first encountering the attractive beetles featured below, I read up about them, quickly discovering that, as well as being the most described species in the family, they are also the most widespread and frequently recorded. The remainder seem to be either very scarce and/or restricted to certain areas, with only an outside chance of finding one other species locally, Mycetaea subterranea. And, even then, there have only been two officially recorded sightings from Dorset.

Endomychus coccineus fares a bit better, but from close on a thousand records on the NBN Atlas at the time of writing (March 23) only a dozen are from Dorset (VC9), and seven from South Hampshire (VC11).

Commonly known as the False Ladybird beetle for obvious reasons, Endomychus coccineus is easily recognised by its dorsal coloration; vivid red with four elytral spots and often, but not always, with a broad dark longitudinal line on the pronotum. The head, which is usually hidden within the pronotum, has large eyes and long, robust antennae. It is typically black in mature adults, but red in fresh specimens.

Whilst closely related to the Coccinellidae, they have very different lifestyles feeding on fungus growing on trees and fallen timber. During the winter months they can often be found beneath damaged and/or loose bark on a range of broadleaved trees. The adults occur all year-round becoming active in early spring and remaining so through to the autumn when they can often be found mating. They are primarily nocturnal so, obviously, are far more likely to be seen at night than during the day.

New family added, Oct.22 (v.1)